RIO DE JANEIRO -- Of the nearly 4,000 athletes competing in the Rio Paralympics, all but two are doing so for their country.Syrian swimmer Ibrahim Al Hussein and Iranian-born discus thrower Shahrad Nasajpour make up the first refugee team at the Paralympics.All the years I dedicated to sports did not go in vain, said Al Hussein, who lost part of his right leg in a bombing in his Syrian hometown.I think we were trying to show that the values that the (Paralympics) holds is to provide opportunities regardless of the circumstances of individuals with impairments, said chef de mission Tony Sainsbury, regarding the creation of the refugee team. Those opportunities exist for them provided that they can demonstrate that they are of the right standard of potential.Sainsbury said athletes must meet three criteria to be considered. They need to be officially recognized as a refugee, who had sought and was granted asylum. They needed to return from Brazil to the nations where they sought asylum, and they had to prove a credible performance, he said.Mohamad Alabed, who lived in the same area as Al Hussein, fled Syria and now resides in the Netherlands. He said while he doesnt know Al Hussein personally, everyone knows of the heroic Syrian swimmer.While neither refugee competitor medaled, Al Hussein hopes to leave behind a different type of legacy at the Paralympic Games. He says he feels having represented the refugees of the world and having the word `refugee circulated throughout the world is the most important thing I could have done.I am a refugee, that was out of my hands, he said. I was injured, that was out of my hands, I am an athlete, this is my choice.---Shannon Ryan is a journalism student at Penn State University. Penn State and Georgia are partnering with The Associated Press to supplement coverage of the 2016 Paralympics. 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Melbourne Victory have their swagger back and midfielder James Troisi isnt afraid to crow about it.Saturday nights 2-1 derby success capped a fantastic two months for the A-League club, which has won six of eight games to roar to second on the table.With home games against Central Coast and Newcastle next on the fixture list, Kevin Muscats men could be forgiven for thinking that run could well extend further.But its turning the tables on Melbourne City thats brought most Christmas cheer to the navy blue half of Melbourne.Not since round 10 last season had Victory sat above City on the ladder, a year-long wait ended on Saturday.Coupled with two derby defeats earlier in the season, midfielder Troisi said it was a state of affairs that drove Victory on.We know who the biggest team in the A-League is and who the biggest team in Melbourne is, he said on Tuesday.We proved that (on Saturday night) and well continue to improve and prove that to the doubters.We definitely had a great game. (We) put it to them and in the first half probably should have been three or four goals up.Its always fantastic winning your derbies (but) the position were in on the ladder is more important and the form were building is fantastic.Troisi is a key reason for Victorys burst up the table.The 28-year-old Asian Cup winner was a popular man-of-the-match for a buzzing display in his preferred No.10 role.Combined with ffleet-footed winger Marco Rojas, the pair have been in irrepressible form over the last month.ddddddddddddAgainst City, Rojas maintained his record of scoring or assisting in every A-League match hes played in this season by doing both.Both left Victory for European clubs but have found themselves back in Melbourne. Troisi said their shared experience helped them bond.Me and Marco are on the same wavelength, he said.He knows what the clubs like and they know what hes like. Being back in Melbourne, playing for a great club, hes doing wonders for us.Troisi hopes he is playing himself back into Ange Postecoglous Socceroos plans with his form but insists his focus is on the week in, week out at Victory.But could the pairs form be so good that they could be poached in the January transfer window?Its a situation Victory coach Kevin Muscat knows well, having fought battles to keep Mitch Nichols, Adrian Leijer and Mark Milligan - with mixed results - in previous summers.Troisi didnt dismiss the prospect but said he was focused on winning a first club title of his career.I just want to keep playing, performing personally and for the team. I want to win the league, he said.Moving or anything like that is not in the back of my mind. Im focused on doing well for the club. Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '